Thompson enjoying his time

Published: February 14, 2001 12:00 AM

Anyone that's been around College of Wooster senior Steve Thompson knows the Rittman graduate has squeezed every bit of enjoyment that's possible out of a college basketball career.

From his trademark turn, shoulder shrug and yell to the student section after a made hoop at Timken Gymnasium, to calling classmate Nate Gaubatz "bruiser" after he suffered a black eye in a game last season, Thompson knows how to have fun.

Despite having to work his way up from the Fighting Scots' JV team as a freshman, and battling injuries the past two seasons, his attitude has always remained healthy.

"I've taken the outlook that it's just a game," said Thompson, who will help lead Wooster (20-2, 13-1 North Coast Athletic Conference) in games at Denison tonight and vs. league co-leader Wittenberg in the regular-season finale Saturday. "It's Div. III basketball.

"We're obviously not going to be future NBA players, so I'm going to enjoy the opportunity and make it as fun as possible while it lasts."

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That attitude, coupled with Thompson's work ethic and natural athletic ability has enabled the 6-foot-5, 175-pound guard/forward, to become a key contributor as the Scots have reached the Sweet 16 of the Div. III NCAA men's tournament the last two seasons. And, with a No. 2 national ranking in the latest d3hoops.com poll Wooster is poised for another run.

Thompson, an honorable-mention All-NCAC pick last season after averaging 11 points a game, is slightly under that clip this winter at 9.7 points a contest while battling injuries to his left ankle and right foot.

Still, as a 44-percent 3-point shooter (40-for-90), Thompson has hit plenty of big 3s, allowing the fans to share in the enjoyment at Timken Gym, where Wooster has the nation's longest home winning streak in any division at 44 straight games.

Fan favorite

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"I started (talking to the crowd) my freshman year when I was playing JV," Thompson said. "JV basketball is all about having fun.

"When I finally got the opportunity to play varsity at the beginning of my sophomore year, I was just playing at the end of blowouts. It was more just fooling around, looking at my Krapper (fraternity) buddies after a made shot. Then I started playing well and I kept doing it -- the emotion rides high and I get so into games that I'm yelling at people."

One might wonder if straight-laced College of Wooster coach Steve Moore has ever discouraged Thompson's brief exchanges with the fans, but Thompson only remembers one "talking to."

"Coach Moore really hasn't ever come out and said, 'Hey, we don't need that,'" Thompson said. "But one time last year when we were getting ready to host Ohio Northern in the NCAA tourney opener, he told me during practices that I needed to stay focused."

Translation: Tone down the shrug and don't give the traditionally strong Polar Bears any added incentive.

Not that Thompson's antics are excessive -- if you don't watch closely, you might miss them -- but Moore is known for not leaving anything to chance when it comes to winning games.

"He told me he loves to see me having fun, and I feel he supports me enjoying the game," Thompson said.

Thompson's fan involvement carries on a Krapper tradition started by All-American centers Ryan Gorman and John Ellenwood during the late 1990s.

"When you think of Gorman and Ellenwood, you think of them coming up with a big dunk and then getting the fans even more excited by talking to them," Thompson said. "I might do it a little more, but it think it's good to keep the fans, especially the 'Super Fans,' who do a lot of the heckling of the other teams, involved."

Rusty and Bruiser

While Wooster's lone two seniors, Thompson and Gaubatz, may look cool on the floor leading the nation's No. 2-ranked team in the d3hoops.com poll, they have secrets they don't want anyone to know.

Thompson's nickname is "Rusty," while the 5-11, 170-pound Gaubatz goes by "Bruiser."

Gaubatz supports Thompson's fun as well, even when his best friend on the team was among the first to poke fun at his black eye last season.

"During a game last season, Nate got a black eye," Thompson remembered. "From then on, he always seemed to be in foul trouble.

"Basically, we told him the officials saw the black eye and knew he was a bruiser. When we're fooling around, we still call him 'Bruiser.'"

Gaubatz and the Scots had their fun with Thompson, though, after an unsuccessful attempt to become blonde two years ago.

"My sophomore year, when I was just starting to play a lot, before a game Brian Watkins and I dyed our hair," Thompson said. "Mine (coloring) was spotty, a gold rusty color and they were quick to give me the nickname 'Rusty.'"

Serious business

As a tri-captain Thompson knows more than ever there's a time to play and a time to be serious.

"I realize now, though, especially being a senior, that there are times in practice I have to really focus and not joke around at all," he said.

Anyone that didn't know how to buckle down most of the time would not have worked his way into the type of defender that can play in Moore's demanding system.

"He showed promise with his versatility and athletic ability as a freshman when he played JV for us," Moore said, "but he really blossomed in his sophomore year (8.3 points a game).

"He adjusted to college basketball and the biggest key to his earning time in varsity as a sophomore was his improved defensive play. He really worked hard over the offseason to get there."

However, just when Thompson seemed to be reaching his zenith as a player last season, he was suddenly a few inches away from it all crashing down in a home win against Oberlin, Dec. 8, 1999. He suffered a tear of the ACL in his right knee, but because it was just a partial tear was able to undergo arthroscopic surgery and make an amazing comeback just four games later. He would end the campaign earning all-league honors.

This season Thompson has experienced more injury problems: a badly sprained left ankle days before the opener and currently a possible stress fracture in his right foot.